Engine-driven air system for diesel engines.



G. C. DAWSON.

' ENGINE DRIVEN AIR SYSTEM FOR DIESEL ENGINES.

APPLICATION mm mm. 1916.

-1;279,085 Patented Sept. 17, 1918.

llVVE/VTOR GREGORY CALDWELL DAVISON, OF NEW LONDON, CONNECTICUT,ASSIGNOR .TO ELEC TRIO BOAT COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATIONOF NEW JERSEY.

ENGINE- DRIVEN AIR SYSTEM FOR DIESEL ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept, 1'7, 1918,

Application filed April 3, 1916. Serial No. 88,686.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GREGORY C. DAv soN, a citizen of the United States,and a resldent of New London, in the county of New Lon- This inventionrelates to improvements in internal combustion engines of the type inwhich one or more compressors are employed to feed air under pressurefor cooperation with the oil-fuel fed to the fuel-spray valves on theengine cylinders. Heretofore it has been the practice to have such anengine drive a single compressor, or else drive several compressorsprovided as a group with but a single intake and but a single discharge,the several compressors being arranged for use or disuse as a singlegroup with one compressor discharging into another before the air is ledto the cylinders. In all such installations, disablement of thecompressor or of any one of the group of compressors when such a groupis employed, instantly causes a cessation of the supply of compressedair to the fuel-spray valves and consequent stoppage of the engine.

The present invention involves the provision of an improved constructionwhereby such interruption of the use of the engine will not occurwhenever one of several compressors becomes disabled. A plurality ofcompressors are provided for supplying compressed'air to the fuel-sprayvalves of the engine and these are so arranged that either one may beemployed independently ofthe other to supply the requirements of theengine. Preferably, both compressors would be employed together undernormal conditions but either may be used alone when the other istemporarily out of service so as to continue the operation of the enginewithout interruption.

In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention, the meansby which either compressor is rendered operative and other inoperativeincludes valves in the discharge conduits of the compressors which maybe manipulated to connect either compressorto or disconnect it from themam individually controllable discharge.

which carries the compressed air to the fuel spray valves of the engine.The two compressors are preferably duplicates and arranged alongsideeach other and they are driven directly bythe engine shaft. The pipingarrangement of the two compressors is such that each has its-ownseparate and separately and individually controllable intake and its ownseparate and separately and Also,

each compressor is preferably a two-stage one equipped with its ownindividual cooling means.

he invention therefore involves the provision of at least two workingcompressors for simultaneous or alternative operation and permits adisabled compressor to be cut out either while the other compressor isleft effective 'or just before the other compressor is cut in, accordingas a plurality of compressors or only one compressor was just previouslyWorking, all within the space of a few seconds, so that the disabledcompressor may be repaired while the engine is runnlng and withoutstoppage of the engine due to a failure of the air-supply.

In the accompanying drawing, showing a preferred embodiment,

Figure 1 is an elevation of one side thereof; Fig. 2 is a partialelevation of the opposite side thereof; and Fig. 3 is a diagrammaticview showin certain of the parts of anion.

Figs. 1 and 2 in fulllines and certain of these parts in dot-and-dashlines.

The reference numeral 1 indicates a bed plate or crank case for theengine. A threecylinder engine 2 has a suitable engine shaft 3 extendingthe entire length of the bed plate. The engine shaft is provided withparallel oflset cranks 3, in addition to the cranks located in theengine crank pit for the pistons of the engine cylinders 2, the cranks 3driving the compressor-pistons 3".

Each cylinder is provided with a fuel inlet valve 2; and each valve issuitably associated with means (not shown) for injecting oil-fuel. Thesevalves are adapted to have spray-air fed thereto by means of connections45 leading from amain 4.

The twin compressors illustrated are each provided with the usual largeor initial compression cylinder 5 and the usual smaller or finalcompression cylinder 6. Each compressor is also equipped with automaticinlet valves at 5 and 6 (Fig. 2), automatic out- 8 from the outlet valveto the inlet valve 6. and a connection 9 from the outlet valve 6 to themain 4.

Interposed in connections 8 and 9 of each compressor are suitable coils(Fig. 3) 1nclosed within a cooler 10 to serve that compressor. Coolers10 are rendered efiective by a common circulation of cooling waterthrough connections 10 in the direction indicated.

Each connection 9, before it joins the main 4, has interposed therein aseparately and individually adjustable shut-off cock 9".

A separate intake 11 is provided for each inlet valve 5 both intakesconveniently leading from a common suction header 11 and each of theseintakes has interposed therein a separate shut-off cock 11 The two cocks11 may, when desired, be opened and closed simultaneously by means ofacontrol rod 12. If desired, the operating members of the cocks 11 maybe so connected to rod 12 that actuations of the rod may open and closeonly one of the cooks 11", or open one of the cocks while closing theother.

During operation of the engine, either or both compressors may beoperative. If it is desired to use both compressors for. normal service,opening the two shut-0E cocks 9 and the two shut-off cocks 11' are theonly operations required. If it is desired to use but a single one ofthe compressors for normal service, it is only necessary to open theshutoff cocks 9 and 11 of the compressor to be used and close theshut-off cocks of the other compressor. In the case of the compressorthus functioning, during a half revolution of the engine shaft thecompressor draws in atmospheric air througlf'its intake 11 and intakevalve 5 into its larger compression cylinder 5. During the next halfrevolution of the engine shaft, the air thus drawn in is compressedwithin the compressors cylinder 5 and thence forced through its outletvalve 5 into its connection 8 which passes through cooler 10. During thenext half revolution of the shaft, the compressor draws this cooled andpartially compressed air from connection 8. through inlet valve 6 intothe smaller compression cylinder 6. At the same time, an

additional supply of atmospheric air'for initial compression is beingdrawn through the compressors intake 11 and inlet valve 5 into thelarger compression cylinder 5.

During the next half revolution of the shaft,

the compressor further compresses and discharges the air from itssmaller compression cylinder 6 to the connection 9 which also passesthrough cooler 10, the finally compressed and cooled air being deliveredto the fuel-spray valves 2* through main 4. At the same time, the airpreviously drawn invents into the compressors cylinder 5 is beinginitially compressed and discharged through its outlet valve 5 into itsconnection 8 to pass through the cooler 10. Throughout the running ofthe engine, the compressor opcrate continually in this manner to deliverair under proper pressure to the fuel-spray If desired, only one of thecompressors may be run normally. Then the control rod 12 may bepermanently disconnected from the two cocks 11"; or these cocks may beso adjusted and permanently connected to the rod 12 that when the rod ismoved to open one cock l1 the other cock 11 is closed. If the workingcompressor become disabled it may be out out and the idle compressor cutin. The time required to close the shutoff cocks 9 and 11 of thedisabled compressor and to open the cooks 9 and 11 of the previouslyidle compressor, will not cause a cessation of the air supply. Evenshould the trouble in the disabled compressor cause the inlet valve 5 tostick in open position, the lowering of the air pressure as the resultof leakage at that valve-will not leadto stoppage of the engines ifeither of the cooks 9 and 11 of the disabled compressor be closed, andthe two cocks 9 and 11 of the other compressor opened promptly. There-.after the other of the two cocks 9F and 11 of the disabled compressorshould be closed.

As to any compressor thus cut out for the purpose of making repairsthereto during running of the engine, the piston of that compressorwould continueto be driven by the engine shaft; but the cut-outcompressor would not pump air, and the valves-thereof could be removed,examined, repaired and replaced, and the compressor again out in atpleasure. It should be remembered that in practically every case of theaccidental 'crippling of a compressor, the fault is in the valves ortheir connections, and not in the piston or its connections.

If desired, the normal operation may involve the use of bothcompressors. In anticipation of a possible future disablement of eithercompressor,the control rod 12 may be connected to the two cocks 11 sothat the' rod may be moved in one direction or the other to' close thecock 11 of the disabled compressor without closing the cock 11 of theother compressor, or the rod 12 may be disconnected from the two cocksll sothat the cock 11 ofthe disabled compressor may inlet valve 5 tostick in open position, the lowering of the air pressure as the. resultof leakage at that valve Will not lead to stop page of the engine ifeither of the cocks 9 and 11 of the disabled compressor be closed.Thereafter the other of the tWo cocks 9" and 11" of the disabledcompressor should be closed.

In a submarine boat, heavy oil internal combustion engines for manyreasons have been the power plants generally employed for surface andawash running and the compressor and engine organizations heretoforeemployed in such power plants have possessed objectionablecharacteristics apparently impossible of avoidance. That these previousorganizations often become disabled, sometimes rendering necessary anemergency utilization of the storage battery plant aboard the submarine,a plant provided primarily for use during submerged navigation, is afact that has been heretofore accepted as representing an unfortunatecontingency which must always be present. The present invention involvesthe provision of a simple and convenient mechanism whereby one of thecauses of failure of the powerplant is practically eliminated. In thisconnection, it is to be remembered'that Within a few seconds after thefailure of the compressed air supply, the engines of a submarine boatwill come to a dead stop, due to the absence of fly-Wheels.

I claim:

1. An internal combustion engine organization comprising an engine ofthe Diesel type, a pair of air compressors driven thereby, and means forsupplying compressed air to the inlet valves of the engine from eitherone of the compressors at will, comprising manually-operated means forrendering either compressor operative and the other inoperative.

2. An internal combustion engine organi zation comprising an engine ofthe Diesel type, a pair of air compressors driven there- Copies of thispotent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the"Commissioner of Patents,

by, and means for supplying compressed air to the inlet valves of theengine from either one of the compressors at Will, comprising means,manually-operative While the engine is running, to render eithercompressor operative and the other inoperative.

3. An internal combustion engine organization comprising an engine ofthe Diesel type, a pair of air compressors driven thereby, and means forsupplying compressed air to the inlet valves of the engine from eitherone of the compressors at will, comprising independent air intakes forthe compressors, valves in said intakes, and a control rod connected tosaid intake valves and adapted to close either one and open the other.

4. An internal combustion engine organization comprising an engine ofthe Diesel type, a pair of air compressors driven thereby, and means forsupplying compressed air to the inlet valves of the engine from eitherone of the compressors at Will, comprising independent air intakesforthe compressors, valves in said intakes, separate dischargeconnections for each compressor, valves in said discharge connections,and a control rod connected to the intake valves and adapted to closeeither one and open the other.

5. An internal combustion engine organi zation comprising an engine ofthe Diesel type, a pair of air compressors driven therey, and means forsupplying compressed air to the inlet valves of the engine from eitherone of the compressors at Will, comprising independent air intakes forthe compressors, valves in said intakes, separate discharge connectionsfor each compressor, valves in said discharge connections, a commondischarge main communicating With the separate discharge connections andWith the inlet valves of the engine, and a control rod con-- nected tosaid intake valves and adapted to close either one and open the other.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

GREGORY CALDWELL DAVISON.

Washington, D. Q.

